China Eclipse and Wildlife - July 2009

China may be a great destination to head to this summer with all the Olympic events scheduled, but just imagine the infrastructure improvements in place for summer 2009. Take this opportunity to witness one of the great astronomical natural wonders - a total solar Eclipse in the beautiful central location of Hangzhou. In addition to this marvellous spectacle visitors will see Bejing, The Great Wall, The Terracotta Warriors and Chengdu for Giant Panda viewing. Join Astronomer & Eclipse expert Professor John Parkinson for this unique experience. All bookings made before July 2008 will receive two travel guides: Chinese Wildlife and Total Solar Eclipse 2008 & 2009, from Wanderlust 2008 Gold award winning travel publisher Bradt Guides.

Please click here or contact Clementine Gent on 0845 130 6982 for further information.

Kenya Special

Recent talks in Kenya have resulted in cooperation and shared power between President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga which means that Kenya is now back on the map in terms of a top travel destination for unsurpassed wildlife. In conjunction, we are pleased to be able to offer a £170 discount on bookings confirmed by 31st March on the 10-day small group Kenyan Highlights tour for travel in May 2008. The tour costs £1,525 per person and includes Samburu National Reserve, the volcanic ranges of the Aberdare National Park, Lake Nakuru and the Maasai Mara. Accommodation includes a safari lodge in the Aberdares in a forest glade with a nearby floodlit waterhole featuring an underground viewing platform. The price includes scheduled flights, transfers, hotel and safari lodge accommodation with most meals, and expert guiding and wildlife viewing.

We also have limited availability on the 'Kenya Safari & Digital Photography with the Scotts' - a unique trip in February 2009 with BBC Big Cat presenter and top wildlife photographers Jonathan and Angie Scott. Please speak to Estelle to find out more on 0845 130 6982

Australia - Birding Bonanza

The original inhabitants of Australia - the indigenous Aboriginal people have now had a formal apology from the Australian government for the past wrongs caused by successive governments on their population. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised in parliament to all Aborigines for laws and policies that "inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss". Find out more about this vast and varied country. The Queensland's Reef and Rainforest two week itinerary incorporates rich birding and mammal viewing, snorkelling and diving opportunities, along with the flexibility of self-drive and the variety of luxury hotel, lodge and safari-style tented accommodation.

Click here for more details

Galapagos Easter special - Sponsor a Giant Tortoise egg!

Forget the chocolate excesses of Easter - focus on a different kind of egg! The Galapagos Conservation Trust has launched a project for sponsoring a Giant Tortoise egg. Many tortoise species have only survived because their eggs are taken to the Breeding Centre at the Charles Darwin Research Station and the babies kept safe there until they reach 4 years old. If you would like to find out more then please visit www.savegalapagos.org/adopt.html#/tortoise

Why not visit the Galapagos in style in the new expedition vessel La Pinta, which begins operations today! La Pinta is a poignant name as it was from this island that the last known famous survivor of La Pinta species of Giant Tortoise, Lonesome George, heralded.

Festival Auction

Next month we head off to Madagascar for the 5th Annual Festival of Wildlife. The ethos of the Festival is conservation based and this event has become a mechanism for raising much needed funds for conservation organisations. Last year we raised in excess of £19,000. This years beneficiaries of the fundraising will be Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (www.durrellwildlife.org), Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org) and Association Mitsinjo (http://mitsinjo.googlepages.com/); all with local Madagascan projects and The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (www.davidshepherd.org). This year we have decided to offer the chance to bid for auction items to non-Festival participants. If you would like to support the above organisations whilst gaining a unique item of artwork, photography or other special 'wildlife/travel focused' item then read further...

Click here for more details

Yosefe School Library - Book Appeal

Since our birth in 1992 Wildlife Worldwide has actively supported a primary school in the South Luangwa, Zambia - Yosefe Primary. The school is the hub of the local community and has a thriving library, which caters for the needs of both the school and community. The library is constantly in need of new and up to date books to replace and add to the collection. As such we are appealing to all future visitors to South Luangwa to try and squeeze a few books into your luggage to pass over to the school on arrival (this can be done through the local operator). All books are welcomed. Atlases, dictionaries and other substantial reference books are prized items along with some of the classic novels. Weighty but worth it!!

Please contact Mel Kinder on 0845 130 6982 for further information.

Destinations 2008 Competition winners

We carried out a prize draw at Destinations 2008 in February this year and we would like to congratulate the following people who were the winners in our show prize draw:

1st prize and winner of a £400 holiday voucher
Ms Rosemary Bartlett from Hampshire

2nd prize and winner of a Power Monkey Movie Traveller
Mr Glen Brennan from Co Wicklow, Ireland

3rd prize and winner of a Power Monkey Explorer (solar powered charger)
Mrs Denise Smee from Surrey